A$AP Rocky is stepping deeper into fashion’s creative ranks, teaming with Nas for a Ray-Ban campaign rooted in hip-hop history. The rollout aligns with the debut of Rocky’s Metal Collection, a range of optical frames and sunglasses priced from $202 to $249. As creative director, Rocky shapes the aesthetic and tone, drawing heavily from Belly, the 1998 cult film directed by Hype Williams.
Rather than simply nod to the movie, the campaign builds its atmosphere around it. A short film channels the shadowy visuals and stylized energy that made Belly a defining image piece of late-1990s rap culture. Nas, who starred in the original film, provides narration that blurs memory with homage.
“Man, I get a phone call from Flacko this evening. He wants to meet in Harlem. Funny thing is, it’s the same restaurant where I last met with his pops before he passed. His pops was my dawg,” he says. In fact, in this story, Rocky becomes even more central to the film’s journey.
The reflection adds depth to the campaign, tying Rocky’s present moment to Harlem’s past and to Nas himself. It reframes the partnership as generational continuity rather than simple brand alignment.
For Ray-Ban, the collaboration taps into an enduring cultural archive. For Rocky, it reinforces his expanding role at the intersection of music, design, and visual storytelling, positioning him not only as an artist but as a curator of legacy.